Raiders of the Lost Art

Digital V Film…You DecideI am frequently asked questions much like these: why do you shoot film? and Isn’t digital better? Given these questions I thought it would be good to take some time to not only tell you about the differences, pro’s and con’s, what have you; but to also show you.For starters, why do I shoot film? Well I believe in quality and in quality products. Film is just that, the colors are amazing, skin tones look absolutely stunning and no matter how many megapixels a digital camera has, it will never have the look that film does. I love shooting film because I get to be a photographer, not a computer guru.With film, I shoot it, send it to the lab, they process and scan it (so I have it in digital form) and then I look at the images and then they are on to my client. I don’t spend countless hours at a desk behind a computer color correcting and editing; film does not require it. One thing about film though, you actually have to know your stuff, its not a trigger happy session and then take time to ‘delete/edit the bad ones’. When each click costs between 4-10 dollars (depending on the film and processing) you do not over shoot, and you actually have to take the time to literally see with your eyes and take the time to do it correctly in camera, not in PhotoshopFilm is unique in every situation and does not require the countless Photoshop actions to make it look presentable. I encourage you to take a look and decide for your self which one you think is better.These are images from an engagement session that I did a few months back, I think that you can clearly see a difference. I have paired a film image next to a similar digital image, this is a HUGE “no no”. I have been told by photographers that I have worked for in the past that shoot both film and digital to never put them next to each other, because then the client could see the difference…in this case…Maybe the client should see the difference.

p.s. film images are on the left

I would love your feedback or if you have questions about film, or finding a film photographer in your area let me know, I just might be able to point you in the right direction.
It’s about being present, slowing down, and really making every image your best image. Photography is a beautiful form of art, expression, and documentation; however, if we continue on the path we are on it will soon be a lost art form.There are great photographers out there and great labs that take care of them. Here are a few that are definitely worth your time.Photographers: Labs:Jose Villa Richard Photo LabElizabeth Messina Image SourceJonathan Canlas